法苑珠林 69.27

69.27

Regarding the thirteenth intermediate existence: For beings in the hells, it is rare and difficult to be reborn in heaven. When the conditions of residual wholesome deeds ripen like karma, this person in hell, because their karma is exhausted, is about to attain release; as they approach the end of life in this hell, signs appear. When life is about to end, if the hell wardens hurl them into a cauldron, they vanish like water foam and do not arise again; if struck with cudgels, they die immediately upon being struck and do not arise again; if placed in iron chests, they die immediately upon being placed therein and do not arise again; if placed in the River of Ashes, they dissolve immediately upon entering and do not arise again; if struck with iron rods, they die immediately upon being struck, perishing without arising again; if eaten by iron birds, they do not arise again after being eaten; if devoured by ferocious beasts, they do not arise again after being devoured. When this hell being's evil karma is exhausted, after death they no longer see the hell wardens of Yama, just as when the oil and wick are exhausted there is no longer the action of the lamp. The signs of intermediate existence in hell do not appear; suddenly, in the empty sky, they see supreme song, dance, and revelry, and fragrant breezes touch their body so that they experience supreme bliss. Wishing to approach the existence of rebirth, they are reborn either in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three or in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. This is called the thirteenth intermediate existence.